1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of communication network-based product selection, and in particular, to product selection using a sequence of screens.
2. Statement of the Problem
Many businesses have created web sites to allow their customers to purchase products on-line. The customer is able to browse through several products and product features, and then select the products and features that they desire. The customer provides payment information, and the company ships the selected products to the customer.
Special product selection software applications are used to drive on-line product selection. Under the control of this software, the web site downloads a sequence of web pages to the customer, and the customer inputs user data into the web pages and submits the web pages to the web site for product selection. To move from one web page to another, the customer indicates “next” or “back” when submitting the current web page.
As the customer submits the web pages in the sequence, the selected user data typically reduces customer choices on subsequent pages. This reduction of customer choices occurs because the selected user data eliminates products and product features that are inconsistent with previous selections. For example, if a customer is selecting features for a pick-up truck, an option for a special towing package may no longer be available if the customer has previously selected a smaller motor unsuitable for heavy towing. In this example, the customer would have to start over or keep hitting the “back” button until the motor selection page is retrieved.
To address this problem, a single web page has replaced the sequence of web pages. The single web page includes a list of check boxes and drop-down menus correlated with various products and features. The relationship between user data is indicated, and the customer may move up and down the single web page list to maintain consistency between selections. In the above example, the towing package selection might now include a parenthetical indicating that it requires the larger motor, and the large motor selection might now include a parenthetical indicating that it is required for the towing package.
Unfortunately, the customer is now faced with a lengthy list of inter-related products and features. The list can be confusing and intimidating to many customers. The prior sequenced approach allows the customer to build a product specification one step at a time, but as mentioned above, the sequenced approach is deficient because it can be difficult to move from one web page to another to maintain consistent user data.